| High blood sugars and insulin resistance become a | | | | There are some peculiarities of physiology unique to |
| vicious cycle, until eventually the insulin producing cells | | | | people with type 2 diabetes that make certain kinds |
| of the pancreas "burn out" under the stress of | | | | of exercise more effective than others. |
| constantly having to make more and more insulin. At | | | | Here are important points: |
| this point, diabetes can be very difficult to treat. | | | | - vigorous exercise like weight lifting, running, or |
| Type 2 diabetics can become functional type 1 | | | | tennis is more beneficial than light exercise like |
| diabetics, needing insulin to live, as their disease | | | | walking or biking slowly. Blood sugars go up |
| progresses. | | | | temporarily during vigorous exercise, but then they |
| What can diabetics do to interrupt the vicious cycle | | | | stay lower for many hours after the exercise is |
| of ever-increasing blood sugars? | | | | completed |
| The simplest remedy is exercise. | | | | - most diabetics should not exercise in the morning. |
| Exercise though is not going to melt your pounds or | | | | That is because blood sugars tend to rise just before |
| kilograms away. Unless you work out for 3 to 4 | | | | dawn. Many diabetics get higher blood sugars after |
| hours every single day, you are not going to lose | | | | exercise in the morning, but lower blood sugars if |
| very much body fat through working out. | | | | they wait to exercise in the afternoon |
| What exercise can do, however, is to reduce your | | | | - if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, you |
| appetite. Scientists believe this is due to the | | | | probably should avoid vigorous workouts. Stroke and |
| production of endorphins in your brain, feel-good | | | | retinal hemorrhage are not unheard of during |
| chemicals that reduce carbohydrate cravings, relieve | | | | strenuous exercise |
| pain, and lift bad mood. Endorphins are in short supply | | | | - if you have had uncontrolled diabetes for many |
| in the diabetic's brain when there is no exercise. | | | | years, be careful when you do sit-ups. An |
| Exercise has an additional benefit for diabetics | | | | often-undiagnosed form of diabetic neuropathy can |
| independent of whether you lose fat or gain muscle. | | | | cause fainting while doing sit-ups |
| Exercise increases the sensitivity of muscles to insulin. | | | | - if you are unable to sweat below the waist, |
| In diabetics who exercise, the muscles do not have | | | | exercise indoors. |
| to protect themselves against sugar surges. They | | | | And, of course, you should not begin an exercise |
| actually become, for a few hours, about 50 times | | | | program until after you have checked with your |
| more sensitive to insulin than usual. This breaks the | | | | health care practitioner. A stress test can reveal |
| vicious cycle that is the primary engine of type 2 | | | | cardiovascular problems you want to discover at a |
| diabetes. | | | | clinic, never in a gym. |